Feed for drawbenches or the like



Aug. 5, 1952 L. HOLMES ET AL FEED FOR DRAW BENCHES OR THE LIKE 2 SHEETS--SHEET l kw J @QN Filed July 2 1951 .Z NvENv-ofes lu v. 4651015 FEED F OR DRAW BENCHES OR THE LIKE 4 3e 37 1e 41 4B 12ms/frans Patented ug. 5, 1.95.2

tosses Es PATENTGFFICE FEED-fron DRAWBENCHES R THE LIKEl l Leslie Holmes, Benir, and val F. Harris, Blair AthoL South Australia, Australia', assignors to British Tube Mills (Australia) Proprietary Limfited, Kilburn, .South Australia, Australia` c In Australia July 6,195v0 A 9 Claims.

1 This invention relates to an improvedfeed for draw benches or the like and in particular ittrelates to a feed which will allow the tubes or the like to be readily positionedl prior to the commencement of a draw. c In machines where tubes or bars are fed to a forming die it is necessary to position the tubes so that lthe tag end of same can be projected through the die. In the casevof tubes,` the tube itself must be positioned over a long rod carrying at its end -the inner diewhichdurlng operation is located within the outer die so that both the inside and the'outsideof the tube is formed at once. l f

It will rbe appreciated, therefore, that it is necessary to position the tube to be formed over this inner die and to then move the assembly into position s o that the tag end of the tube, which is a reduced portion arranged to be engaged by the grips of the draw-v carriage, can be projected through the louter `die ready to be gripped- M Y It is the Aobject ofthis invention to. provide an improved feed which will allow readympositioning of the. tubes or the like and movement of Same@ the dwwilflsy 0rl other forming locality- -Astheinvention-has particular adaptation to the feeding of.v tubes todraw benches anv embodif ment of this adaptationwillnow be describedl with reference to the accompanying drawings in Fig. 1 is Aa somewhat schematic side elevation of the improved feed mechanism,

Fig. 2 is a plan of same,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on line. 3-3ofFig.1, .-7 c v v Fig. 4 is a section as on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

The tubes to be fed to the bench are moved from a locality adjacent the bench over die rods 8 which extend rearwardly from the feed position inthe usual manner ,customary with tube drawing machines, the die rods terminating in an anchorvblock 'l from which is also supported a guidetube 8, the purposeof this tube B being lto maintain proper alignment of the die rods 6 and also facilitate handling of the tubesto be drawn in their crossover movement. y .Y

In the drawings a'fmulti-tube feed .has been shown which is suitable Afor feeding Aa twindraw bench, that is a draw bench having two dies arranged to operate on two tubes during each draw.

The guide tubes 8, of which there are" thus four, arevsupported at their rear'ends by slidable car'- riages 9 and Il). whichoperate on-slidesvll se' cured Vin va main frame-J2 ywhich incorporates webbed'stifening channels I3 onwhichj the slides Il are rigidlyh'eld. -;j

At the frontend the guide tubes 8 are lsupported'from carriages l5' and i6. which operate on tracks l'l carried from end frames I8; the two carriages being interconnected by a chain 'I9 in whichthecarriages form -as it were a link, the chain I9 at itsgone end passing around guide sprockets or rollers 20 andZI- and also around'a drivensprocket 2 2, V thechain l 9;at the other end passing over guide sprockets/23 and 24 so that as 4onecarriage, is moved to the' left the other moves to the right and vice-versa.

As the slidable carriages 9 and I0 as well as the movable carriages l5' and I6 must cross over during their operation, and as the front ends of the guide tubes 8 ofthe two sets must be in approximately the same- -horizontal alignmentso` that either paircan be projected into the die locality, it is necessary to move at least one of the sets ofrguide tubes out of alignment during traverse from-their loading to their vfeed position or on their return andforthis purpose the carrigeY l5 hason it' a -p air lof guides 26 in which operate stems 2'lwhich have at their lower ends bearing members in which the guide tubes 8 are sliolably held, the vstems Z'lbeing adjustably connected at theirl upper ends to a cross bar 30 which'in turn is rigidlycoupled to a Vertical rod 3|onthe lower end-of which isa roller 3 2 and near` thetop of-'whichisa collar 33 which cooperates with the top plate 34 of thecarriage to limit the downward movement of they stems 2l and thus the guide tubes 8. r

j The other movable carriage [6 is also provided withfbearingblocks 36 'in which the'other pair of guide tubes areslidable, these bearing'blocks beingalso adjustable in height by means of adjustingu screws 3l ,engaging theV bottom 'frame member 380 f;12he;carrage1 e Supported by this movable -carriagey Ht is' a double' Aramav 40..; so. arranged that during :the crossoverdthis ramp A,willbe engaged by the roller 32 andl will -thllsmove'the stems'2'ly upwardly in their bearings 25, thereby carrying the tubes 8 upwards sc thatthere `is no. fouling of the two setscgf-,i'lubes/v8 during-'the crossover. y 'I he mov-` ablef.l Ycarriages -I5-. and I G are Y providedf with wheelslll. f c

Asv it is necessary to line up the other ends of the guide .tubes `8, thei slidablez carriages yare. in this case` spaced apart `so that the crossover can b e elfectedwithoit fouling, the two sets of tubes 8 being disposed at a very slight angle toA each other as shown more .v particularly in.Fig`.. 1 so spaced relationship of the carriages will, under Vall circumstances, be maintained.-

The chains 45 and 46 pass around driver sprockets 41 at the one end'andzi'dler sprockets.' 1, l

48 at the other end, these-sprocketsfbeingsuitably supported in the frame members-I and I2. As it is necessary to move theguide tubes' 8 together with the die rods 6 in same -ax-iailly *dur-j ing the crossover from theloading to the position i. f

where they feed the draw bench, rear guide mem. bers 5U support in samepneumatic cylinders 5| the piston rods 52 of which are connected to the anchorblocks 1 soA thatireciprocationiof the piston rods 52 will cause the anchor blocksltoslide forward and backward, the pneumatic cylinders 5| being fed from anyv suitable supply. Y

The frames53 are rigidly secured tothe slidableL carriages Sand ||).-Y Y Y K As it is also necessaryfto exactlyrfix the longitudinal position ofthe dielrod- 6 sowthat the dies on the end of same canvbe brought into correct alignment'with'thev outer dies-with which they cooperate a vernier:adjustment`r is vprovided for the assembly which'. consistsof a motor 56 for each of the guide=tubes8, Ythis motorv being secured upon the appropriate frame member 53 and being connected bymeans-of a chain 51 to a sprocket upon a shaft 58 which has onit a worm wheel 59i in engagement with va toothed nut 60 operating on a threaded portion of thecylinder 5 so that by operatingthemotor in either a forward or reverse `direction-.a vernieradjustment of the position of the cylinder 5 |"is given which will alsordeterminethe exactA forward positionof the die rods 6 becauseof-th'e' interconnection;

As damage to the mechanism would result ifa crossover could be4` effected-while theguide tubes 8 are forwardly:projected,-a switch-62 iis'associated` with each of the guide tubes Efth'eswitch being xed to the appropriate frame member 53 and being actuatedby means of a 4spring-loaded plungerBS slidable in a block. Eli-secured -to the anchor block 1 of that g-uidetube 8, the purpose of this arrangement being to breaky thecircuit to the main drivingfmotor which effects the changeover when the guideitubes 8 are not all fully retracted. v

The actual drive forfthe changeover' is derived from a motor 10 which iis coupled to a pair of shafts 1| and 12 through hydraulicmeans comprising a pump 13 and a pairof hydraulic cylinders 14 and 15,- the pistonsof which'are connected to the two ends respectively of a chain 16 which passes around a sprocket -11- coupled'to the shafts 1| and 12. A valve' controls the owof hydraulic iiuid alternatelyto the cylinders 14 and 15, the opposite cylinder exhausting as one is supeL shaft t0 the shaft 83 on which vthe sprocketlH is mounted.

The drive to the sprocket 22 of the other unit is taken from the shaft 12 through the angle gear to the shaft 85, through another angle gear pairs of guide tubes 8, bracing members project downwardly from the one set of tubes while bracing members 9| project upwardly from the other set.

The guideztubes B are madevtelescopic at their front ends, the portion ,95 being slidable with respect to the main portion of the tubes 8 but being normally forwardly extended by springs 96 encircling the tubes.

What we claim is:

Llmproved feed mechanism for draw benches comprising'at least two guide tubes carrying die rods,fframes, near the forward and rear ends of the said guide tubes, a pair of carriages in the rearframe disposed in different horizontal planes,

a pairof carriages in the forward frame also disposed i. in` different horizontal planes, means to causeboth rear and front carriages to cross over synchronously, means supporting the rear portions of thevguide tubes Jfrom the -carriages in the rearframe'fmeans supportingglthe' forward portionsof the guide tubesfromthe carriages-of the forward frame, vand means on at l least one said carriage in the forward frame to cause the guide tube supporting-means to'move-outof the path of the other Yguide tube Vsupporting means during a cross-over.-

2. Improved feed mechanism for draw benches according to claim 1 characterised by slides inthe rear'frame 'and' slide; engaging vmembers -on the said carriages in' the rearfrarne arranged to'take the Ypull of the die rodswithout dislodging the carriages.

3. Improved feedl mechanism,I for drawfbenches comprisingat leasttwo guide-tubes carrying die rods, frames near the-forward andfrear ends'ofv during the cross-over, and means to move'the' guide tubes and die rods axially to allow retraction of same during the crossover-movement,

4, Improved feed mechanismf'or draw Vbenches comprising at least' two guide tubes Acarrying kdie rods, frames near the forward and rear ends'of the said guideftubes,-a pairof carriagesfin the rear frame ldisposed in different horizontal planes, a pair of carriages in the forward'framealso disposed-in different horizontal planes; means to cause both rear and front carriages -to cross. over synchronously, anchor blocksslidably' supporting the rear portionsof tlieguide'tubesfromj-the carriages in the' rear frame, means slidably-supporting theforward portions 'of thejguidev tubesfrom the carriage' of" the forward frame; meansonatl least onesaid 'carriage 1in the forward frame to' cause the guide tube supporting'means'rto .move out of the path of theothergui'de tube supporting means, duringthe cross;over;uid operated meansi disposed-:between the' rear carriages .and the anchor blocks rto allow the anchor blocks to be axially moved to'retract the guide .tubes and die rods during the crossoverand switchrmeans on the carriages to prevent. cross-over excepting.

when the guide tubes and die rods are retracted.

5. Improved feed mechanism for draw benches comprising at least two guide tubes carrying die rods, frames near the forward and rear ends of the said guide tubes, a pair of carriages in the rear frame disposed in different horizontal planes, a pair of carriages in the forward frame also disposed in different horizontal planes, means to cause both rear and front carriages to cross over synchronously, means slidably supporting the rear portions of the guide tubes from the carriages in the rear frame, means slidably supporting the forward portions of the guide tubes from the carriages of the forward frame, means on at least one said carriage in the forward frame to cause the guide tube supporting means to move out of the path of the other guide tube supporting means during a cross-over, fluid operated means carried by the carriages of the rear frame and coupled to retract the guide tubes and die rods during cross-over, and separate adjustment means to effect fine axial adjustment of the die rods.

6. Improved feed mechanism fcr draw benches comprising at least two guide tubes carrying die rods, frames near the forward and rear ends of the said guide tubes, a pair of carriages in the rear frame disposed in dierent horizontal planes,

` a pair of carriages in the forward frame also disposed in different horizontal planes, means to cause both rear and front carriages to cross over synchronously, anchor means slidably supporting the rear portions of the guide tubes from the carriages in the rear frame, means slidably supporting the forward portions of the guide tubes from the carriages of the forward frame, means on at least one said carriage in the forward frame to cause the guide tube supporting means to move out of the path of the other guide tube supporting means during a cross-over, fluid cylinders carried by the carriages of the rear frame, pistons in said cylinders coupled to the anchor means to retract the guide tubes and die rods during cross-over, a threaded section on each said cylinder, a toothed nut engaging said threaded section and axially confined in the carriage, a worm wheel engaging each said toothed nut, and motors to independently drive the said1worm wheels to effect ne axial adjustment of the cylinders and thus the die rods.

7. Improved feed mechanism for draw benches comprising at least two guide tubescarrying die fil rods, frames near the forward and rear ends of the said guide tubes, a pair of carriages in the rear frame disposed in different horizontal planes, a pair of carriages in the forward frame also disposed in different horizontal planes, chain means interconnecting the pair of carriages in the rear frame to give a, cross-over movement,

chain means interconnecting the pair of carriages in the forward frame to give a cross-over movement, a shaft rotationally coupling the two said chain means, a pair of hydraulic cylinders coupled to the ends of a driving chain engaging a sprocket on the said shaft, valve means to control the flow of hydraulic fiuid alternately to each.

8. Improved feed mechanism for draw benches comprising at least two guide tubes carrying die rods, frames near the forward and rear ends of the said guide tubes, 9, pair of carriages in the rear frame disposed in different horizontal planes, a pair of carriages in the forward frame also disposed in different horizontal planes, anchor means slidably supporting the rear portions of the guide tubes from` the carriages in the rear frame, means slidably supporting the forward portions of the guide tubes from the carriages of the forward frame, means on at least one said carriage in the forward frame to cause the guide tube supporting means to move out of the path of the other guide tube supporting means during a cross-over, fluid cylinders carried by the carriages of the rear frame, pistons in said cylinders coupled to the anchor means to retract the guide tubes and die rods during cross-over, a threaded section on each said cylinder, a toothed nut engaging said threaded section and axially confined in the carriage, a worm wheel engaging each said toothed nut, means to rotate the worm wheels, chain means interconnecting the pair of carriages in the rear frame to give a cross-over movement, chain means interconnecting the pair of carriages in the forward frame to give a crossover movement, a shaft rotationally coupling the two said chain means, hydraulic means to revolve the said shaft, a motor and pump to supply the hydraulic power, and valve means to control the direction of rotation of the said shaft by the said hydraulic means.

9. Improved feed mechanism for draw benches according to claim 8 characterised by switch means carried by the carriages coupled to allow actuation of the said motor only when the said guide tubes and die rods are retracted.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Y McIlvried et al Dec. 27, 1949 Number 

